Tammy Haddad Leaving MSNBC

MSNBC Washington VP Tammy Haddad is leaving the network to start her own media company. In August, Haddad gave up her EP duties on Hardball with Chris Matthews. Since then she’s been working on debates and other political programming for the network.

Haddad, who joined MSNBC in July 2003, will be with the network for another two weeks. Haddad Media, as her new company will be called, has already lined up Newsweek and the National Journal Group as clients.

>More: Click continued to read the press release about Haddad’s new venture and her TV background…

Washington, D.C./November 13/ â€” Tammy Haddad, veteran network television producer and former Vice President of MSNBC, today announced the launch of a new company, Haddad Media. The firm will concentrate on working with established and emerging companies to develop innovative on-air, on-line and event programming for political and entertainment media. The first clients of Haddad Media are
Newsweek and the National Journal Group.

Newsweek has hired Haddad Media to help develop cross platform strategy and execution of political coverage on Newsweek.com. As a consulting executive producer and editor, Haddad will develop and produce original political video content on demand as well as a candidate interview series.

Newsweek’s Editor Jon Meacham said, “Web video is one of the great new storytelling tools of the time, and Newsweek has always had great stories to tell. It’s exciting to have a fresh way of reaching more readers with our signature coverage of politics, and Tammy is, to say the least, a formidable partner who will be essential to our going from strength to strength on Newsweek.com. To call Tammy an original is to understate the case mightily, and we are delighted that we’ll be able to put her terrific gifts to work for us.”

National Journal Group, whose properties include National Journal, CongressDaily, and The Hotline, is Washington’s leading publisher of political and policy news and analysis, providing “Insight for Insiders” through nonpartisan publications that cover all the power players in Congress, the executive branch, the lobbying world, and beyond. National Journal Group is also a partner with NBC News, MSNBC, and MSNBC.com for political coverage. In her new role, Haddad will work to optimize National Journal Group’s existing strategic partnerships and will consult on the creation and content of National Journal Group events focusing on the 2008 election.

“We are looking forward to having Tammy on board to lend her extensive knowledge of the business of covering politics to National Journal Group,” said President Suzanne P. Clark. “We’ve worked closely with Tammy over the past few years and have had great success in our ventures with her. No one knows more about the key players and events that shape how Washington works, and we look forward to benefiting from that knowledge as we continue our plans for extensive, in-depth coverage and analysis of the 2008 election.”

In announcing her new company, Haddad said, “From on-line video to virally distributed news, to simply making sure that current on-air programming is as innovative as possible, this election is a huge opportunity for us to help media companies to expand their reach, get more interactive viewer involvement and have a broader range of voices heard in the process.”

Haddad most recently served as Vice President for MSNBC Washington in charge of politics and election coverage where she created and supervised MSNBC’s “Super Tuesday” bi-weekly all day politics coverage featuring candidates and their campaign staff, as well as top political reporters and analysts from NBC and MSNBC and leading political veterans.

She has been the executive producer for all MSNBC political event coverage for the last four years including the 2004 presidential election and the 2006-midterm elections. Haddad also served as executive producer of “Hardball with Chris Matthews.” She developed and was the executive producer of a series of specials and documentaries including “Picking the Next President,” the “Hardball Heroes Tour,” “JFK: The Day that Changed America” and MSNBC’s 9/11 fifth anniversary special.

Haddad announced her new venture today and will be leaving MSNBC after four-years. “I’ve been looking forward to creating this kind of business for a while. It’s been a great run at MSNBC. I have worked with a great group of professionals there and I have had the opportunity to meet and work with scores of the most talented newsmakers across the political landscape. I look forward to continued work with many of my colleagues and friends and acquaintances I have worked with over the years,” said Haddad.

Tammy Haddad is one of the original creators and the longtime executive producer of “Larry King Live.”

Haddad left CNN in 1993 for NBC’s “Today” show, where she worked as a senior broadcast producer. She then moved to David Letterman’s Worldwide Pants to launch the late night talk show, “The Late Late Show with Tom Snyder,” for CBS. Haddad was an executive producer for Fox News Channel and a consultant to People magazine for television development as well as magazine story development. She served as a media consultant to the non-profit organization, The Vaccine Fund, funded by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.

Haddad’s on-air career included hosting, “The First Producers Club,” a weekly basic cable talk show featuring in-depth interviews with the people who run entertainment as well as news shows. Haddad is a regular media commentator on television and radio.

Haddad is the 2007 recipient of the Gracie Award for outstanding individual achievement in television news. Other awards include two John Foster Peabody awards, Advertising Age named her Marketer of the year for “Larry King Live” election coverage in 1992. Haddad is a board member of the Miss America Organization and the Washington Press Club Foundation. She lives in Washington, D.C. with her husband, Ted Greenberg, special counsel for international money laundering at the World Bank, and her children, Rachel and David.